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Children both boys and girls wore strap shoes throughout the 19th century. There were variations from country to country and among social class groups. Strap shoes for children appeared early in 19th century. I have first noted them worn by boys with skeleton suits. I am not sure who developed this style of shoe or just why it was considered suitable for children. The style itself has ancient origins and a shoe with a open front and crossbar was widely worn in the Middle Ages by both men and women, it was not at the time, however, considered a child's style. The strap shoe does not appear to have had gender conotations. It does appear to have social class conotations. Given the rough outdoor conditions, this was not a shoe that would be worn by a child to tromp around outdoors. Only children living in a nice home and that were conveyed to special occasions outside the home would wear them. It was a dress shoe, children did not wear them for play. Hightop shoes were the most coomon shoe in the late 19th century. We do see many boys wearing these shoes for formal portraits. An example of the instep-strap style is A. Balfour, a Canadian boy in 1893. An example of a ankle-strap style is another Canadian boy. Unfortunately many available images are undated. We note many strap shoes came with bows. We are not yet sure how to date these bows.
Children both boys and girls wore strap shoes throughout the 19th century. There were variations from country to country and among social class groups. Strap shoes for children appeared early in 19th century. I have first noted them worn by boys with skeleton suits. I am not sure who developed this style of shoe or just why it was considered suitable for children. The style itself has ancient origins and a shoe with a open front and crossbar was widely worn in the Middle Ages by both men and women, it was not at the time, however, considered a child's style. The strap shoe does not appear to have had gender conotations. It does appear to have social class conotations. Given the rough outdoor conditions, this was not a shoe that would be worn by a child to tromp around outdoors. Only children living in a nice home and that were conveyed to special occasions outside the home would wear them. It seems to have been more of a soft shoe in the early decades of the 19th century. It was a dress shoe, children did not wear them for play, except perhaps for rich children who plsyed in controlled circumstances. The ones we have noticed seem to the style with a single bar at the instep.
At mid-century we notice not only strap shoes with instep bars, but some with the bars set back near the ankles. We are not sure, however ,just when this style first appeared. The examples from the early-19th century seem to have the instep bars, but by mid-century we see the ankle bars. A good example is Rebecca Solomon's depiction of an idealized Victorian family painted in the early-1850s.
We see some children wearing strap shoes in the 1860s. A good example is an unidentified New Brunswick boy.
Hightop shoes were the most common shoe in the late-19th century.
We do see many boys wearing these shoes for formal portraits. An example of the instep-strap style is A. Balfour, a Canadian boy in 1893. An example of a ankle-strap style is another Canadian boy. Unfortunately many available images are undated. We note many strap shoes came with bows. We are not yet sure how to date these bows.
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